Why Cruz is in trouble in Texas

Texas has 155 delegates up for grabs in its Republican primary next week, but for Sen.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is a “nervous wreck” and Florida Sen.

And unlike people who support politicians due to their public speeches, Abbott said, he knows Cruz’s commitment and “that what he does in his official political actions is what he feels in his heart”.

Among men, Trump leads by a small margin in our “Texas Tegna Poll”, and among women, a little bit more said they would vote Cruz. “All of us are focusing on Texas“.

“Ted Cruz is somebody who both is easy to work with, he’s very principled”.

“I think I’ll save that for tomorrow night”.

Speaking with reporters after the rally, Cruz fielded the kind of question that would have been unthinkable as recently as three weeks ago: What happens if you do not do well? “He’s won two of the first three states, and I’ve won one”.

Cruz needs a “positive turn”, said Bob Vander Plaats, a national co-chair of Cruz’s campaign.

A victory by front-runner Donald Trump in Tuesday’s contest would knock the wind out of Cruz’s bid for the nomination. Not only is Trump steadier and stronger than most thought he would be, Cruz is not a winsome personality. Cruz, who has been a senator there since 2013.

Texas offers the biggest delegate prize on Tuesday, and Cruz’s campaign is depending on a solid win there to survive. The thinking is that if Cruz can put more points on the board than Rubio does Tuesday, he can strengthen his case that his Senate colleague is incapable of notching wins against the billionaire.

Cruz’s current situation is a far cry from six months ago, when he proclaimed the Super Tuesday states his “firewall”, undertaking a seven-day, seven-state bus tour of the region.

And Cruz did just that at Fox News’ town hall event in Houston Wednesday evening.

“My recommendation is that Cruz keep his focus on his vision and the issues and the contrast with Trump, and leave Rubio alone”, he said. But Trump’s commanding win in the Nevada caucuses, his third victory in a row, means Cruz is going to have to fight that much harder on his home turf, starting with Thursday’s debate in Houston. Cruz maintained Wednesday, however, that he was taking none of the so-called SEC states for granted.